Animal trap



Feb. 11, 1941. J. HOFF 2,231,472

ANIMAL TRAP Filed Sept. 27, 1939 INVENTOR. 76 BY W fiiffi Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANIMAL TRAP Jacob Hoff, Yankton, S. Dak. Application September 27, 1939, Serial No. 296,711

4 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved and simple animal trap for entrapping animals.

An object of my invention is to entrap the same in as humane a manner as possible without a killing or injuring them.

A further object of my invention is to provide a trap which will catch any number of such animals and which provides automatic means for allowing entrance to the trap after successive animals have passed therein. Y

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various-parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more 'fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure ,1 is a plan view taken generally along the line |--l of Figure 2,

Figure 2 is a section taken generally along the line 2 -2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of Figure 1,

t Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

' Figure5 is a detail of the end of the removable drawer. Y

.My invention comprises the rectangular box l8 having end walls H and side walls l2, a bottom wall l3 and an upper lid M. A further vertical partition l5, extends along the width of the container and on the inside thereof where it merges with the inside partition I6 which runs along the length of the box.

A small opening is provided at H which opening iscut in the further wall I2. A treadle I8 is pivoted at l9 to the rear wall I2 and includes the lip 28 to which is attached at 2| the link or wire 22 which is attached at 23 to the substantially T shaped member 24 which is pivoted at 25. The portion 26 of the T shaped member is attached to the counter-Weight 21. Attached at 28 to the member 24 is the further link or wire 29 which is attached at 38 to the extending portion 3| of the trigger 32. The trigger 32 is pivoted at 33 to the side wall I l and is spaced therefrom by means of a suitable spacer as shown in Figure 1. The trigger member 32 includes the small indent portion 34 which is adapted to underlie the flange 35 in the vertically movable door 36. i

A further passage is provided at 31 between the bottom of the container and an upper member 38 which passage extends to the further passage 39 having theupper member 40 and the lower member 4| which passage again terminates in the further horizontal passage 42 having upper and lower members 43 and 44 respectively. Pivoted at 45 to the bottom I3 is the treadle 46 which is bent upwardly into two sides 41. A 5 counter-weight 48 maintains the treadle in the elevated position shown normally. A downwardly projecting member 49 is attached to the upper wall 38. A further treadle 58 which also includes a pair of upwardly bent sides 5| is pivoted at 52. A further downwardly projecting member 53 is also attached to the member 38 adjacent the further treadle 50. Attached at 54 to one side 5| of the treadle 58 is the link 55 which is attached at 56 to one end of the lengthened lever 51 which is pivoted at 58 and spaced at 59 from the side wall I2. A counter-weight 68 is attached to the lever 51 as shown. The lever 51 is attached at 6| to a downwardly projecting bar 62 which terminates in the expanded or enlarged portion 63. The bar 62 passes through a suitable opening 64 i in the flange 35 (see Figures 1 and 2).

Suitable guide members 65 are positioned at each side of the door 36, to guidethe same. Pivoted to the member 44 at the upper end of the channel at 66 is the further treadle '61-which includes a downwardly projecting flap 68 which is at right angles to the treadle 61. The flap 68 moves within a slot 69 which is adjacent the vertical wall I6 and is cut through the base 44. The flap 68 is thus bent at right angles to the treadle 61 and is adapted to slide against the wall l6. A small opening 18 is provided inthe side wall l6 (see Figures 2 and 4) which opening is adapted to communicate with a further opening 1| in the top of the removable drawer 12. The drawer 12 slides through an opening 13 and includes the handle 14 for withdrawing thesame. The drawer 12 includes the top portion 15 which extends partially across the top of the drawer and the major portion of the same includes the screen 16 which is attached to side strips 11. The inner end of the drawer includes the flap 18 (see Figure 5) which is pivotedat 19 to the base of the drawer and includes a small clip 88 for attaching the top firmly to the drawer.

An inclined top wall 8| (see Figures 1 and 4) having side walls 82 covers the openings 18 and H and the member 8| includes a small extending horizontal flange .83. A slidable door 84 slides within the opening 85 beneath the flange 83. A

spring 86 is attached at 81 to the slidable door and at 88 to the flange 83. The slidable door 84 includes a projection 89,,which is adapted. to bear against the pin 90 which pin is attached to the side wall I I. The projecting rod 65 of the treadle 61 passes through the wall l6 and terminates in the bent arm M which is attached to the countar-weight 92 which counter-weight is positioned upwardly and angularly from the top portion 75 so that it will not interfere with the same and it will still function as a counter-weight.

Now that the parts have been explained I shall explainthe operation thereof. Normallythe door 36 is in elevated position as shown in Figure 3 leaving the opening I! completely open. The animal passes through the opening I! and is immediately attracted to the bait 83 which is attached to the rear wall l2 as shown. As soon as the animal jumps upon the treadle I 8 the same is depressed by the weight of the creature and pivots the member 24 and pulls the link 29 so'that the indent 34 is released from beneath the flange 35allowing the door 36 to drop and close the opening I1. The creature then returns along the passage 94 (see Figure l) and since the opening I! is closed, will proceed along the passageway 31. The creature then steps upon the treadle 46 which causes the same to fall to the horizontal position and the animal is then retained rearwardly of the member and cannot return toward the opening.

The downwardly projecting member 49 prevents interference with the treadle 46. As soon as the animal steps off the treadle 48 the counterweight brings it to the normal position. The creature then steps upon the treadle 50 which automatically pulls the link 55 downwardly and through the medium of the lever Eil the bar 62 is raised and the expanded portion 63 then pulls the door 36 upwardly. It will be understood that the flange 35 is at the approximate position 95 when the door is closed and the drawing as shown in Figure 2 shows the door in fully open position after it has been raised. After the creature travelsofl of the treadle 50 the counterweight '68 will bring the lever to the position as shown in Figure 2 with the door fully opened since during such opening the flange 35 will travel past the sloping portion 96 of the-trigger 32, onto the indent 34 :so'that the door '36 will be again. retained in such open position. The upwardly extendingside flanges and prevent the creature from sticking its paws down the side of the treadle and jamming the same.

By thistime the animal is completely trapped and although'the opening I! is free for the next animal it will be "impossible for them-receding creature to escape. The creature then passes up the passage-way 39 and into the passage-way 42 and upon the treadle 67. The weight of the creature will swing the treadlefi] tohorizontal position leaving the .opening clear and the animal passes through the opening 10 .down into thedrawer 1.2, and as soon as .thecreature leaves the treadle 6.7 the counter-weight will swing it back in to the position shown in Figure 2 with the member 68 closing the opening 19. The creature is now retained within the drawer I2 and cannot escape therefrom and the screen is provided to insure proper ventilation within the drawer. The'drawer thus provides meanstfor entrapp'ing'any number of mice, or any other creatures, the spirit of the invention being such as to involve the trapping'of any type of animal regardless of the size thereof.

It -wil1 be noted that the spring 88 normally has a tendency to pull the slidable door to -coverthe-opening H. When the draweris pulled out by means of the handle 14 the spring will automatically pull the door 84 over the opening closing the same since the pin 90 will not then abut against the extension 89 of the door 84. This opening is then closed so the creature cannot escape. After the drawer is removed the flap I8 is opened and the animals are emptied into any suitable means for drowning or otherwise getting rid of the same. The flap is then closed and the drawer is reinserted into the container. During the insertion of the drawer since the portion 89 will strike against the pin 90 during the inward sliding of the drawer, the flap 84 will then be again opened into the open position leaving the opening 1| clear.

It Will now be seen that I have provided a trap which will entrap animals in a humane manner, whichprovides automatic means for allowing entrance of successive creatures, which will allow trapping of several creatures without resetting and which can be manufactured at a reasonable cost.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to coverby my claims any modified forms of struc- I .ture or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

'1. An animal trap having side, top, and bottom walls, a passageway within said walls running transversely of the trap, a further longitudinal passage communicating with said transverse passage, said longitudinal passage having a rear exit opening, a drawer communicating with said opening, said drawer being slidably removable from said trap and having an opening communicating with said first mentioned opening, means for-closing said drawer opening when the drawer is removed, including a spring urged door member adapted to cover said opening, a pin attached Within said trap cooperant with said door to cause release thereof when the drawer is removed.

2. An animal trap having side, top, and .bottom walls, a passageway within said Walls running transversely of the trap, a further longitudinal passage communicating with said transverse passage, said longitudinal passage having a rear exit opening, a drawer communicating with said opening, said drawer being slidably removable from said trap and having an opening communicating with said first mentioned opening, means for closing said drawer opening when the drawer is removed, including a spring urged door member adapted to cover said opening, a pin attached within said trap cooperant with said door to cause release thereof when the drawer is removed, a treadle pivotally mounted in said longitudinal passageway including a downwardly bent flange adapted to cover the rear opening in said passageway when the treadle is raised, a counterweight attached to said treadle to keep the same in elevated position normally.

3. An animal trap having side, top, and bottom walls, a passageway within said walls running transversely of the trap, a further longitudinal passage communicating with said transverse passage, said longitudinal passage having a rear exit opening, a drawer communicating with said opening, said drawer being slidably removable from sai'd'trap and having an opening communicating with said first mentioned opening, means for closing said drawer opening when the drawer is removed, including a spring urged -door member adapted to cover said opening, a pin attached within said trap cooperant with said door to cause release thereof when the drawer is removed, a treadle pivotally mounted in said longitudinal passageway including a downwardly bent flange adapted to cover the rear opening in said passageway when the treadle is raised, a counterweight attached to said treadle to keep the same in elevated position normally, said longitudinal passageway including further treadles, a further entrance for receiving animals including a door covering operated by one of said treadles, said,

treadles having upwardly extending side flanges adjacent the walls of said passageway.

4. An animal trap having side, top, and bottom walls, a passageway within said walls running transversely of the trap, a further longitudinal passage communicating with said transverse passage, said longitudinal passage having a rear exit opening, a drawer communicating with said opening, said drawer being 'slidab-ly removable from said trap and having an opening communieating with said first mentioned opening, means for closing said drawer opening when the drawer is removed, including a spring urged door member adapted to cover said opening, a pin attached within said trap cooperant with said door to cause release thereof when the drawer is removed, a treadle pivotally mounted in said longitudinal passageway including a downwardly bent flange adapted to cover the rear opening in said passageway when the treadle is raised, a counterweight attached to said treadle to keep the same in elevated position normally, said longitudinal passageway including further treadles, a further entrance for receiving animals including a door covering operated by one of said treadles, said treadles having upwardly extending side flanges adjacent the walls of said passageway, said transverse passageway including a treadle, means operable between the last mentioned treadle and the door to cause the door to drop when the weight of an animal rests upon said treadle.

JACOB HOFF. 

